Understanding the eyelids
Eyelid cosmetic surgery is important surgery. All patients require a tailored cosmetic consultation prior to any surgery. There are various underlying medical conditions that would need to be assessed prior to eyelid surgery.
We are here to guide patients accordingly based on cosmetic research, our experience and skill learned from patients who have trusted us over the many years. Some consider it as "eye surgery" to lift eyelids or eyelid surgery to lift the eyelids.
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01 Eyelid lift or brow lift?
It is first important to understand the values and qualifications of your doctor. Does the consultation put your priorities first? This involves a thorough facial assessment especially focused around the eyes. Blepharoplasty or eyelid lift or tissue reduction surgery involves removal of excess soft tissue around the eyelids to give it a better or lifted appearance. This does not involve lifting the brows through brow lift surgery. Brow lift surgery involves lifting the brows through surgery — this does not involve removal of excess tissue of the eyelids. Not all patients are suitable for blepharoplasty or brow lift surgery as it depends on a host of various aspects namely your soft tissue dimensions, soft tissue condition, medical issues, and many more various aspects that will be discussed with you confidently at your consultation with Dr Nara. -
02 Upper eyelid lift or lower eyelid blepharoplasty?
There are differences between upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty. Each surgery has its inherent risks and complications. There are various technical surgical components to either upper or lower eyelid blepharoplasty. Upper eyelid blepharoplasty surgery relates to aesthetic surgery of the lid above the eyeball whereas lower eyelid surgery refers to aesthetic surgery of the lid below the eyeball. Combining both surgeries simultaneously, meaning performing both upper and lower eyelid blepharoplasty surgery at the same time in the same operation will increase the overall risks of surgery. To learn more about the risks of surgery click here. -
03 Skin only or skin and muscle tissue removal?
There are various surgical manoeuvres pertaining to the eyelids. Tissue removal depends on your goals of surgery, safety and realistic expectations. It is imperative for you to have a thorough consultation with Dr Nara. Essentially, skin only removal removes only the top layer of the skin to give the eyelids a fuller appearance but with less excess tissues. Skin removal with muscle would address bulky tissues of the eyelids. However, there are advantages and disadvantages for each surgical manoeuvre which would be discussed at your consultation. The risks of surgery can be read here. -
04 How much does eyelid lift surgery or blepharoplasty cost?
This is a common question. Whilst important to all patients, you may want to consider a few aspects worth weighing first. Who is your doctor? Do they have formal training in cosmetic surgery? Is your doctor equipped with the skill, training and qualifications to perform cosmetic surgery? Are you prepared to take time off work to accommodate for the recovery of surgery? Do you understand the consent process fully — including the risks, complications and possibility of revisions for any surgical intervention? The risks of surgery can be read here. Will you receive good follow-up care and be compliant with the instructions given to you? For details regarding our consultation, feel free to contact us. Dr Nara is a cosmetic doctor — private health insurance and Medicare rebates do not apply. A formalised quote is only provided to you after your individual consultation with Dr Kishen Nara. This is because each patient is unique with varying structures and underlying medical conditions. -
05 How long is the incision or the cut?
Incision lengths may vary depending on your goals and surgical techniques used. Generally, incision lengths may vary depending on the shape of your eyelids. It also depends on what your goals of surgery are. Most importantly, consider who your doctor is, whether they are particular about surgical technique and whether you are having this operation in a facility that meets the high standards of healthcare. -
06 Where are the incisions or the cut normally placed?
Incisions for eyelid surgery will vary depending on what you would like to have achieved for surgery. This also depends on your realistic expectations. Dr Nara tailors the incision to your expectations and respective dimensions. -
07 What if I have discomfort after surgery?
All patients will develop some degree of discomfort after any surgery including cosmetic blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery. To learn more about the risks of surgery click here. This also depends on your previous experience, pain tolerance and expectations. At RevAesthetic, we focus on managing your discomfort so that you have a concise after care plan. It is worth noting that each patient responds differently to surgery and each person's experience is unique. -
08 How do I sleep after blepharoplasty or eyelid lift surgery?
Sleeping is very important to recover your strength and heal from surgery. At RevAesthetic, we want to ensure that your sleep is maintained. Whilst every effort by yourself and the team is done to ensure you are comfortable, all patients will experience some degree of discomfort after surgery and something is at least different that will affect your sleep. The thing to do is to ensure that you do not put pressure on the face after surgery. You have to sleep facing up for a period of time before you are allowed to sleep from side to side. This will actually help you to be more comfortable and in fact you will get better quality of sleep. One trick is to make sure you have your box of tissues, water bottle (plastic not glass), and medications right next to you all within arms reach so that you do not need to worry about your sleep. Further instructions will be provided to you during your recovery by our surgical team at RevAesthetic. -
09 When can I return back to work after blepharoplasty or eyelid lift surgery?
Generally, most patients at RevAesthetic return back to work within one week. This depends on the surgery you had. Some patients may require a further extension of another week and strict precautions to follow after surgery. -
10 How do I get good results of blepharoplasty or cosmetic eyelid lift reduction surgery?
In order to optimise your results, it is imperative to understand about the training, qualifications and experience of your doctor. Training needs to be specific to cosmetic surgery. It is important to experience a thorough consultation so that your concerns can be heard adequately and you have time to consider all the options available to you. After surgery, follow all the instructions provided to you and communicate with the team at RevAesthetic in order to minimise any complications and maximise your results of surgery. -
11 What are the risks of blepharoplasty or cosmetic eyelid surgery?
All surgery has its inherent risks and complications including cosmetic eyelid surgery. It is imperative to have a thorough informed consent process prior to any surgery. All patients have a certain degree of bruising and swelling after surgery as this would not just extend to the mid face but also the lower face. There may be some temporary blurriness of vision. Other risks may involve wound breakdown, asymmetry, and inadequate excess skin removed. Therefore a handful of patients may have further skin removed in future if at all there appears to be excess skin. To learn more about the risks of surgery click here. Further details are discussed at your consultation with Dr Nara. -
12 What are the common aesthetic issues with the eyelids?
All patients are unique and different. Each eyelid is unique and no two sides are the same. The common issues may involve excess of soft tissue which may present as excess skin of the upper eyelid or at times a triple eyelid appearance. The risks of surgery can be read here. In addition, some patients may have excess of fatty tissue that may present as an excessive fullness of the upper eyelid or lower eyelid. -
13 Eyelid surgery tips to consider
Write down three specific goals you want to achieve and bring this to the consultation. Ask your doctor what training and qualifications they have in cosmetic surgery. Realistic expectations are important. Take time to think if you feel that your concerns are looked into at your consultation. Do not rush — time is on your side. -
14 Tips for lower eyelid blepharoplasty surgery
1. Aesthetic eyelid surgery should only be performed in the hands of doctors who are trained specific to cosmetic surgery. 2. Understand that lower eyelid surgery usually carries more risks than upper eyelid surgery. 3. Surgery for lower eyelid surgery is more intricate and complex compared to upper eyelid surgery. This is not to trivialise any of the risks related to upper eyelid surgery. 4. There are different and diverse aspects with regards to lower eyelid surgery that will be discussed at your consultation with Dr Nara. 5. Take time to make an informed decision. Ask questions and understand them well.
Consultation & process
Tailored consultation, exclusively with Dr Nara
Come speak with us about your expectations. We will work with you towards your treatment goals in a trusted, safe and proficient manner. Each patient is unique with varying structures and underlying medical conditions, so the steps below are followed in order before any surgery is considered.
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Specialist general practitioner referral
A referral from your specialist general practitioner is required before consultation, in line with Medical Board of Australia guidelines. Your GP discusses the reasons for considering cosmetic eyelid surgery and any underlying medical issues that need to be assessed first.
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Psychological & cosmetic assessment
A thorough medical and psychological assessment forms part of the consultation process. The aim is to make sure you have realistic expectations and that cosmetic surgery is the right option for you — sometimes the considered answer is not to proceed.
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Tailored consultation with Dr Nara
A face-to-face or Zoom consultation exclusively with Dr Nara to discuss your goals, the surgical options, the risks of surgery, recovery and aftercare. Time is taken to make sure your concerns are heard. Take time to make an informed decision — time is on your side.
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Surgery, recovery & follow-up
Surgery is performed by Dr Nara at an accredited facility, followed by structured follow-up care. After surgery, follow all the instructions provided to you and communicate with the team at RevAesthetic in order to minimise any complications and maximise your results of surgery.
Before & afters
Before & afters — Dr Nara's patients
Disclaimer: The before and after results shown are specific to these individual patients. All results shown are not generalisable as individual results vary significantly based on genetics, anatomy, medical conditions, goals and lifestyle. Always consider a second opinion with a medical professional prior to any surgery.
63yo woman · revision upper blepharoplasty with left brow lift
63yo woman who decided to have upper eyelid cosmetic surgery. She previously had upper eyelid surgery 20 years ago.
43yo woman · upper blepharoplasty with triple-eyelid correction
43 yo woman who decided to have upper eyelid lift cosmetic surgery. Over the years she progressively developed excess soft tissue predominantly on the right upper eyelid.
66yo woman · upper eyelid lift
66yo woman who decided to have upper eyelid lift cosmetic surgery. She had been considering this for many years and took time to make an informed decision.
43yo mother of three · upper eyelid lift blepharoplasty
43yo woman who is the mother of three children had upper eyelid lift blepharoplasty. This was an extensive and comprehensive process in order for her to consider the options available.
90 year old patient · upper blepharoplasty
90 year old patient as below who considered upper blepharoplasty or upper eyelid surgery with Dr Nara. Considering the patient's respective medical history, approval was sought from the patient's specialist cardiologist.
Results vary from patient to patient as each case is unique with respect to the respective patient and cannot be generalised. Results vary based on the stage of recovery after surgery, genetics, medical illness or other factors such as smoking that may reduce the capacity to heal. Always consider a second opinion with a medical professional prior to any surgery.
Cases in detail
A range of blepharoplasty cases Dr Nara has seen
Each blepharoplasty case is different — revision work, lower lid combined with mid-facelift, brow asymmetry, or careful work in older patients with cardiology clearance. The notes below describe individual cases from the years of Dr Nara's practice. They are not generalisable to your situation; assessment in person is the only way to know what may or may not be addressable for you.
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Previously had upper eyelid surgery 20 years ago. Revision upper blepharoplasty with left brow lift to correct brow asymmetry. Surgery also involved removal of old scar tissue and definition of a new plane of dissection. Compliant with all instructions after surgery and took a week off work. Result at 5 months.
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A consultation regarding lower blepharoplasty and upper blepharoplasty. After making an informed decision following the Medical Board of Australia guidelines, she had staged procedures. She started with lower blepharoplasty with mid-facelift and fat transposition, followed by upper blepharoplasty with canthopexies. Result at 3 months following the final stage of surgery.
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An informed decision to have upper blepharoplasty, selected orbital fat removal and left brow lift after a comprehensive cosmetic and medical consultation with Dr Nara. The decision-making process unfolded across multiple consultations before proceeding.
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Progressive right-upper-eyelid excess with correction of a triple upper-eyelid fold on the left, including careful redefinition of the existing eyelid crease. A separate patient from the 43-year-old plate in the gallery above — different anatomy, different surgical planning.
Results vary from patient to patient as each case is unique with its intrinsic risks and expectations. All operations have their inherent risks and limitations which will be discussed at the consult. Click here to understand the potential risks of surgery.
Where to consult
Eyelid surgery consultations across three locations
Blepharoplasty consults run from our Melbourne (Chadstone), Tasmania (Cooee) and Adelaide (Stepney) rooms — with alternate consult dates at Chelsea Heights and Hobart.
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